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News Article

Suicide Bomber Strikes in Iraq, Kills Several Americans, Iraqis

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Aug. 23, 2005  A suicide bomber killed one Task Force Liberty soldier, one U.S. civilian, and five Iraqis in Baqubah, Iraq, at 12:50 p.m. today. Nine U.S. soldiers and several Iraqis were wounded.

The attack occurred in the Diyala Provincial Joint Coordination Center. One U.S. civilian contractor, four Iraqi employees of the center, and one Iraqi police officer died in the attack.

Nine Task Force Liberty soldiers were wounded, along with one U.S. civilian contractor, six Iraqi civilians, and four Iraqi police officers. All the wounded were evacuated to a coalition forces medical treatment facility, officials announced. Two of the wounded soldiers have been returned to duty.

A day earlier, three soldiers and a Marine were killed in separate terrorist attacks across Iraq.

A Task Force Baghdad soldier died during a rocket attack in southern Baghdad at around 6:20 p.m. Aug. 22

A Marine assigned to Regimental Combat Team 8, 2nd Marine Division, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward), died Aug. 22 when an improvised explosive device struck the vehicle he was riding in near Fallujah.

An improvised explosive device killed two Task Force Liberty soldiers and wounded two others during a combat patrol Aug. 22 southwest of Samarra at about 12:40 p.m. One soldier died at the scene and another died later at a coalition forces medical facility.

The names of the deceased soldiers and Marines are being withheld pending notification of next of kin.

In other news from Iraq, a 37-year-old Iraqi man died Aug. 22 at Abu Ghraib as a result of gunshot wounds sustained during a firefight with coalition forces. The terrorist was evacuated to the 344th Field Hospital with gunshot wounds on Aug. 6. He underwent surgery and was placed in intensive care. He died of complications from the gunshot wounds.

The individual's remains will be transferred to his family after an autopsy. This is standing procedure for all detainees who die in the custody of Multinational Force Iraq, officials said.

In air operations over Iraq, coalition aircraft flew more than 50 close-air-support and armed-reconnaissance sorties Aug. 22, including missions in support of coalition troops, infrastructure protection, reconstruction activities and operations to deter and disrupt terrorist activities, U.S. Central Command Air Forces Forward officials reported. Coalition aircraft also supported Iraqi and coalition ground-forces operations to create a secure environment for ongoing Transitional National Assembly meetings.

U.S. Navy F/A-18 Hornets; British Royal Air Force GR-4 Tornado two-seat supersonic attack aircraft; and a U.S. Navy EA-6B Prowler, an electronic countermeasure aircraft, provided close air support to coalition troops in the vicinities of Balad and Fallujah.

Eight Air Force and Navy intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft flew missions in support of operations in Iraq. U.S. Air Force and British Royal Air Force fighter aircraft also performed in a non-traditional ISR role with their electro-optical and infrared sensors, officials noted.